26 persons injured as Punjab Mail derails near Rohtak

At least 26 persons were injured when eight compartments of Punjab Mail passenger train derailed near Rohtak in the wee hours on Sunday. Three persons suffered serious injuries, it was learnt.

Railway officials said that the train was proceeding towards Mumbai from Ferozepur, when the accident occurred at around 3.45am near Chuliana village between Sampla and Rohtak, about 20 km from the town.

Six of the affected bogeys tilted along the track after the derailment.Rohtak Railway authorities said around 300 m of railway track has been damaged.

The eight bogies that derailed include sleeper coaches from S-5 to S-10, apart from the guard-cum-luggage van. The train later proceeded towards its destination at around 6am.

Officials confirmed that there was no loss of life in the mishap. The injured were taken to Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences in Rohtak for treatment.

Most of the injured passengers hail from Ferozepur, Bathinda, Fazilka, and Moga districts of Punjab and have since been discharged from the PGIMS. Three of the passengers suffered serious injuries, including to their heads, spines and fractures.

Rohtak Range IG Alok Mittal said that the mishap occured at around 3.40am after which a posse of police and Government Railway Police men launched a rescue operation. "We promptly reached the spot and helped railway officials in the rescue operation," said Mittal, adding that railway officials took nearly two hours to clear the track.

"The Railways Minister himself spoke to the locomotive driver as well as hospital authorities in the morning. He also spoke to the Divisional Railway Manager. The Railways will bear the cost of treatment," railway officials said.

Speaking to media persons, Divisional Railways Manager (Delhi Circle) Ashwani Kumar Lohani said that a high-level inquiry had been marked in the derailment on the orders of Union railways minister Mukul Roy.

General Manager (Northern Railway) Raj Shekhar said that railways would bear the treatment costs of the injured, including Rs 5,000 for serious injuries and Rs 500 for minor ones.

Asked about the cause of derailment, he said that it appeared that the track was cracked though the exact reasons would be known only after an inquiry to be conducted by commissioner railway safety of Northern region, RK Kardham.

It would take 15-20 hours to clear the track by lifting bogies with the help of heavy cranes. Two medical relief trains reached the mishap site from New Delhi and Bathinda railway sections along with other personnel to restore normal traffic on Rohtak-Delhi rail route.